Sunrise Point (Virgin River #19)(72)

There weren’t too many people on the square and sidewalks, but they were hardly deserted. Still, when they got to the truck, he pulled on her hand until she faced him. She looked up at him. He put one large hand on her hip and with the other, he traced her jawline with a knuckle until it was under her chin. Then he lifted her chin, lowered his head and placed a very cautious kiss on those full lips.

Yeah, he liked that.

He tried that again, and again.

She put a hand against his chest and said, “Look, I don’t want to upset Darla…”

“This has nothing to do with Darla. This is just you and me…”

“Okay, let me put this another way. I don’t want to get in Darla’s territory.”

“I am not her territory. We’re friends. Her husband…my squad…that whole thing. I’m just being supportive… .” And he leaned toward her mouth again.

“Wait! You know all the things I’ve gone through the past few years—I don’t want to just get deeper in trouble.”

“Huh? What?”

“I don’t want to get mixed up in a situation that would hurt me…like, you know, before.”

His eyes became slits. “You can’t really be suggesting that I could ever do to you and your children what he did to you. You know I’m not that kind of person.”

“You’re not,” she whispered. “I know.”

“It’s a kiss,” he said. “With any luck, a good kiss. I want it. You want it.”

She nodded weakly. After all, she’d made that deal with God… .

“Then can you shut up and kiss me?”

Her lips were already parted, just in case she had something more to say. To her own great relief, she didn’t. He came down on her mouth gently but it took only a second for it to become serious. Demanding and powerful and by the way she received it, it was very much to her liking. She’d been holding her breath and let it out slowly just as her arms slid up and around his neck. He tilted, moved, tongued open her lips, played around with her tongue. Then he lifted her a little bit, bringing her mouth up even with his and, incidentally, pinning her against his truck.

He should really care if people were walking by but he didn’t. All he could think about was her small body flush against his, the taste of her mouth and the fact that after all that hedging, all those excuses, she met him with passion. He heard her whimper slightly and he took it as a little victory—she wanted him, too.

“Oh, man,” he whispered.

He went back for more, covering her mouth with almost dangerous intentions. If he didn’t get a handle on this, he’d be a little out of control and he couldn’t remember the last time he’d had that feeling with a woman. Knowing this was where it was going to end, he forced himself to let go of her, to let her slide back onto her feet, to find some stupid thing to say to excuse it all. “That wasn’t so bad, was it?” he came up with.

“It wasn’t bad at all.”

“Thank you. I mean for the kiss, not for the compliment. If you can call not bad a compliment.”

“I hope you’ll be careful with my feelings,” she said, surprising him. “It wouldn’t be good for either one of us if I fell for you.”

“Are you sure?” he asked, leaning down and smiling against her lips.

“Pretty sure. Should we get going and relieve Maxie of her babysitting?”

“If you wanted me to, I could take you somewhere private. For more kissing,” he suggested.

“Tom, I should go get my kids and get them settled in bed, because I have a long night ahead. I’m going to spend half of it thinking about what a wonderful evening I had and that fantastic kissing and the other half hoping I haven’t made a big mistake.”

He smiled at her and kissed her nose. “I hope you get some sleep, Nora. Because I’m taking you to the pumpkin patch tomorrow.”

“I know,” she said with a sigh. “And come Monday morning, I’ll be waiting for the glass slipper to show up at my door.”

Chapter Sixteen

Tom could tell that his grandmother wanted every detail of his date with Nora. She was practically vibrating with her need to know. But Tom wasn’t talking. Nora assured her that they’d had fun and the most delicious food imaginable. “Of course not better than anything that comes out of your kitchen, Maxie, but I have to admit, it was a wonderful treat. So—are we all meeting at the pumpkin patch?”

“I’m picking you up, Nora,” Tom said.

“Oh. So, Maxie, are you riding with us?”

“Thank you, darling, but no—I’m going on my own steam. I may not be ready to leave when you are or I might want to leave earlier. I like having my own wheels.”

“I understand,” she said with a laugh.

“I’ll help buckle in the girls,” Tom said. “I’m going to carry Berry. You get the baby. And I’m going to follow you home to carry them inside.”

“Don’t be silly,” Nora argued. “I can manage. It’s too much trouble for you.”

“It’s a couple of miles,” he said.

“Three-point-four,” she informed him. “I know. I’ve walked it.”

“That’s why I intend to drive it,” he said, tapping her cute little nose.